5 best Modern Family Halloween episodes that’ll have you screaming with laughter

Modern Family has always had a thing for the utmost of chaos, but nothing compares to when Halloween is around the corner. Every year, Claire Dunphy turns into a one-woman scare factory, determined to outdo herself and anyone who dares to stand in her haunted way.

Between Phil’s goofiness, Cam’s want to be the dramatic diva that he is, and Gloria’s way of speaking English, these Halloween episodes are just pure gold.

So if you’ve ever wanted to know which spooky Modern Family episodes will leave you laughing until your ribs and chest hurt, here are the top five that absolutely nail it.

5 best Modern Family Halloween episodes that’ll have you screaming with laughter

1] Halloween (Season 2, Episode 6)

This is the episode where Modern Family’s Halloween magic truly started to take off. Claire went full scream queen mode, changing the Dunphy house into a haunted house of horrors. She gave everyone in the family a role to play while the kids in the neighborhood would come trick or treating, but naturally, no one took it quite as seriously as she did.

Stills from Modern Family’s Halloween - (Image Via: Peacock)

Cam was haunted by a childhood Halloween trauma, Gloria suddenly switching accents, Mitch was way too embarrassed after his Spider-Man costume debacle under his work suit, and Phil was just trying to please Clair through most of the chaos.

Watching Claire’s frustration rise as everyone ignored her perfectly planned haunted house is classic Modern Family. I mean, after all, we do love a family that means well but can’t stop getting in their own way.

Apart from the episode being a Halloween gem, it also set the bar high for every Halloween episode that came after this one. If you ever doubted that Claire Dunphy loves Halloween more than most people love oxygen, this episode clears that up fast.

2] Open House of Horrors (Season 4, Episode 5)

By this point, Claire had scared enough neighborhood kids to earn herself a bit of a reputation. Determined to tone it down, she promised a “mild” Halloween...but that's Claire Dunphy, so who are we kidding?

A still from Open House of Horrors - (Image Via: Peacock)

While Phil tried his best to host a professional open house on Halloween night, Claire couldn’t keep away from haunting him with a few scares of her own. Meanwhile, Gloria dealt with her “pregnancy mood swings,” convinced the baby was angry, and Mitch and Cam dealt with Lily’s curiosity about her biological mom.

Claire and Phil’s dynamic completely steals the episode, where we see her scare tactics versus his real estate composure made for one hilarious tug of war. It’s classic Modern Family wrapped up in an open house and jump scares.

3] Halloween 3: AwesomeLand (Season 6, Episode 6)

In “AwesomeLand,” Claire’s Halloween crown was briefly snatched by none other than Phil. With Claire being too busy at work, Phil decides to take over decorating the Dunphy house, ditching Claire's usual blood and gore for something more “family-friendly.”

A still from AwesomeLand - (Image Via: Peacock)

Naturally, Claire lost it when she found out the neighbors were having a contest for the scariest house on the street. Enter: competitive Claire, ready to reclaim her horror throne.

Meanwhile, Jay wasn’t thrilled when Gloria chose a Shrek costume for him instead of his preferred Prince Charming outfit, and Mitch had a stressful work case on the side. The episode nails everything that makes Modern Family hilarious, with Phil’s optimism clashing with Claire’s perfectionist chaos.

And when she flips AwesomeLand into “Insane Asylum from Hell,” it’s peak Dunphy drama at the house. It’s less about the scares and more about the spirit, and that’s exactly why it’s so good.

4] Halloween 4: The Revenge of Rod Skyhook (Season 8, Episode 5)

This one’s pure chaos from start to finish, and I mean that in the best way. Luke throws his first Halloween party, but when no one shows up, Claire feels the need to come in to save the day like the Halloween hero she was born to be.

Stills from Modern Family’s The Revenge of Rod Skyhook - (Image Via: Peacock)

Jay, meanwhile, accompanies Manny to a rival’s party (because of course he does), and Cam goes on a mission to track down whoever egged their house, and spoiler, it’s not who he thinks it is.

Between Jay’s “Jaysus” costume (yes, Jesus) and Gloria and Joe as Mary and Joseph, it’s impossible not to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

This episode has all the ridiculousness we love from Cam’s diva-ness to Jay’s grumpiness, and we also have Claire saving Halloween like it’s her very own personal Super Bowl.

5] Good Grief (Season 10, Episode 5)

Modern Family always knew how to bring out that tinge of laughter with a little bit of heartache, and “Good Grief” did just that. It started like any normal Dunphy Halloween, with Claire dressed as a spider and Phil as her trapped fly, but then came the unexpected with DeDe’s death.

A still from Good Grief - (Image Via: Peacock)

The family all came together to deal with their loss in their own strange, funny way. Mitch and Cam dressed as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Gloria dressed up as Marilyn Monroe, and Jay tried to keep things together.

This episode wasn’t just about the laughs; it was about how even in grief, the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker family couldn’t help but be… well, themselves. It’s the kind of hilarious episode that reminds us why Modern Family was more than just a sitcom, but a mirror of every weird, loving, complicated family out there.

From fake cobwebs to laughs, Modern Family made Halloween its own personal favorite holiday. Every spooky season, the Dunphys, Pritchetts, and Tuckers proved that no one does festive mayhem quite like them and especially Claire.

Whether she’s running a haunted house or saving a failing party, her Halloween passion is unmatched. These five episodes don’t just make you laugh, but they make you wish you could spend Halloween with the Modern Family crew.